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Q.-And it is your duty to report on badness of material or delay?
A. Yes.
Q. How long have you been doing this kind of work ?
A.-Seven years and ten months I have been in the department. When I joined first of all I was under the Clerk of Works; then I was sent out to Pok-fu Lam to fetch the water along the hill side, and then I was under the Clerk of Works again.
Q. In that time in how many instances have you had to complain of negligence on the part of the Contractors, either as to time or bad material? Many instances gene- rally speaking?
A.-No. It is very seldom a contract is finished at the date it ought to be.
Q-Then as regards bad materials?
A.-I condemn them on the work at once.
Q.-Have you had many instances of condemning bad materials?
A. Very few.
Q.-You mean to say the Contractors are strictly honest and never try to cheat
the Government?
them.
A.-Well, they will try to cheat both in lime and cement if you don't look after
Q.-But you superior officers?
have had no instances where you have had to report them to your
A.-No.
Q.-Such instances as not putting lime in the concrete?
A.-I condemn that at once and make them put more in.
Q.-You never detected them not putting it in when you were not there? You
cannot always be there, you know.
A.-I have had it taken up sometimes, but I have always had it done.
Q.-Is it any part of your duty to set out work for the Contractors?
A. Yes..
Q. Do you complain that is not part of your duty?
A.-I don't know. I generally get the foreman there and see the place levelled or squared.
Q.-It is your duty to carry it out?
A. Yes.